The present invention is directed to methods and devices for joining panels.
Panels of sheet material, such as material used for forming walls or ducts, can be joined in a variety of ways. In making ducts, sheet material is commonly joined together using duct tape. For example, ducts made of sheet metal are frequently made by folding sheet metal into a desired shape, and taping the folded metal to maintain the shape. Two adjacent duct sections can also be joined using tape. Tapes used in making, joining and fastening ducts include pressure-sensitive aluminum foil tapes, heat-activated tapes, and glass fabric tapes.
For some applications, such as when noise is sought to be minimized, ducts can made of materials other than sheet metal, such as fibrous glass sheet material or foam sheet material. Fibrous glass ducts can also provide improved efficiency due to advantageous thermal properties, and can exhibit less condensation than sheet metal ducts. Fibrous glass ducts can be made from sheets of resin-bonded glass fibers. Ducts can be formed by folding the sheets into square, rectangular or other multi-sided tubes. Formation of a duct by folding a sheet of material results in a longitudinal seam, i.e. a seam along the length of the duct, that can be sealed by stapling, by taping around the outer surface of the duct, or by male and female shiplap edges. Sections of duct can be joined together in the same manner.
While tape is a convenient way of joining folded board or metal to make ducts or to join adjacent lengths of duct, tape may not provide sufficient strength, and tape adhesives can deteriorate over time, causing the tape to fall away from the duct. To overcome some of the disadvantages of tape, it may be desirable to utilize a metal clamp to form or secure ducts. In addition, it may be desirable to provide a means for hanging duct work that is integral to a metal clamp used to form the duct work. Clamp assemblies for forming and hanging ducts are available; however they can be costly and/or complex.
A need remains for new and/or improved means for making, fastening or securing ducts.
One aspect of the invention provides a fastener that includes two contiguous planar members, each planar member having teeth-like projections thereon, which are integral with the planar member.
The invention provides fasteners that can be used to join multiple panels, or sections of panels or sheets, of a wide variety of materials. The fasteners of the invention do not have the disadvantages of adhesives that can deteriorate or tape that may not be sufficiently strong for some applications.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method for joining a first duct section and a second duct section. The method includes providing a fastener, which includes a first planar member and a second planar member, the first and second planar members being contiguous and having teeth-like projections thereon, and contacting the first duct section with the fastener such that at least one of projections on one of the planar members at least partially penetrates the first duct section; and contacting the second duct section with the fastener such that the at least one of the projections on the other planar member at least partially penetrates the second duct section.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method for joining a first panel and a second panel, by providing a fastener that includes a first planar member and a second planar member, the first and second planar members being contiguous and having teeth-like projections thereon which are integral with the planar member; contacting the first panel with the first planar member such that the projections on the first planar member at least partially penetrate the first panel; and contacting the second panel with the second planar member such that the projections on the second planar member at least partially penetrate the second panel.
A further aspect of the present invention provides a duct formed by joining at least three panels. The panels are joined by a plurality of fasteners, each fastener having at least two contiguous planar members and each planar member having teeth-like projections thereon. The teeth-like projections penetrate at least partially into the panels, and the panels together form the duct.
Another aspect of the invention is a system of at least a first duct segment and a second duct segment, the first and second duct segments being joined by at least one fastener. Each fastener comprises at least one planar member, and each planar member has teeth-like projections thereon. The planar members are joined to one another, such that at least one of the projections at least partially penetrates the first duct segment and at least one of the projections at least partially penetrates the second duct segment.
A further aspect of the invention is a method for forming a duct. The method includes the steps of providing a sheet of material having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge; folding the sheet of material in a direction parallel to the longitudinal edges so that the longitudinal edges are brought into contact and form a longitudinal seam; and applying to the folded sheet, across the longitudinal seam, a fastener having two adjacent planar members, each of which planar member has teeth-like projections thereon.
The projections are integral with the planar member, and the planar members are joined to one another such that at least one of the projections at least partially penetrates the first longitudinal edge, and at least one of the projections at least partially penetrates the second longitudinal edge.
These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent in view of the following disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims.